Picornavirus family is the smallest known animal RNA viruses. It consists of seven genera, i.e., the rhinovirus genus, enterovirus genus, aphthovirus genus, cardiovirus genus, hepatovirus genus, and double echovirus genus, in addition to some unsorted picornaviruses. The picornaviruses can induce diseases in multiple systems, for example, respiratory diseases, hand, foot and mouth disease, meningitis/encephalitis, acute poliomyelitis, cardiovascular diseases, hemorrhagic conjunctivitis, and hepatitis, etc.
In the late 1980's, there was a great progress in virology. Several important events in the viral life cycle have been commendably depicted. Many molecular targets have also been validated. Along with the occurrence of many new antiviral drugs, the development of virology also reaches the climax in recent years. Picornavirus inhibitors are being subjected to the study of activity. These inhibitors are targeting to the adsorption/uncoating process of viral protein 1 (VP1), a relatively conservative capsid structure mediated virus. The VP1 of viruses of different serotypes is of highly conservative structure, but it is necessary for viral replication. The inhibitor that acts on this target may become anti-picornaviral medicament.